christianRN

lbennet, Welcome! I am in Kokomo and also went to IVY Tech (Kokomo) for my LPN and Excelsior for my RN. Congrats and good luck! I like Lafayette!

My hospital paid for someone to come to our hosptial and train a group of us. I think they contacted her through our vendor, B-D.

IVY Tech is cheaper and I think IUK's enrollment was down due to IVY Tech's entrance with their ASN program. I'm sure if they were making money they wouldn't consider ending their ASN program! With all of their problems with obtaining clinical sites, I don't think Kokomo will miss IU-K's ASN program. IVY Tech will step up to the bat and meet the community's needs. IU-K is notoriously hard to deal with and I know students who have satisfied all of their requirements but are still waiting for clinical sites so they can finish. IU-K's NCLEX pass rate is horrid compared to IVY Tech. I think it will all work out ok!

Congratulations, fellow Hoosier! :)

We're going to be going to computerized charting and are looking at replacing the general floors' med carts with Lionville computers-on-wheels that have med drawers. Has anyone had any experience with Lionville? Secondly, we've gotten very mixed responses concerning infection control issues surrounding taking carts in and out of patient rooms. I can't imagine that it would be a problem, since the floors don't clean the portable automatic blood pressure cuff in between each patient, and the computer won't even be touching the patient, BUT we definitely want to get all of these issues ironed out beforehand. What are your policies or what have you seen regarding cleaning rovers or carts? Thanks

Check your policy to be sure!

rarjn, THere are lots of threads that address this...you might do a search for CCRN.

That sounds like a blast! WHat a great team-building idea. I'm with Zee, though, wondering, who has to staff the unit? Perhaps there could be 2 retreats, based on scheduling you could go to one or the other?

Tenn RN basically covered it all, I think! We also love it when we get an aide and he or she can help us transport/transfer pts to tests or to another unit. The aide should be proactive, initiate baths, turns, dumps, temps, etc. on his or her own, not have to wait around on instructions from the nurse.

Havin' a Party, Yes, the certification counts every year on the clinical ladder as long as it's maintained with either a retake of the CCRN or meeting educational requirements, which I think you have to do every three years. For our clinical ladder, national certification gives you more than half the points you need to acheive the first level. It's a good deal!

head-to-toe assessment every 4 hours (or more often if needed) rr, hr, bp q1h, more often if titrating drips temp q4h or more often if needed

THanks a lot, jan. I'll check out that website now. Have you been through her training?

This is an interesting idea. Although we have nothing in writing, most docs consult an intensivist or pulmonologist when their patients are admitted to the unit, but there have been a few times when they haven't been consulted and they should have been. Was this pushed by the hospital, or the intensivists? Do you have a group of intensivists contracted to cover the unit, or do the other docs just pick who they want?

My hospital paid for my books, for the test, and for mileage, but don't pay me any more on the hour for getting my CCRN. I do get credit for it on my clinical ladder, though, and it's a BIG chunk of credit! With my CCRN credit, I will be able to get our $4000 bonus instead of our $3000 bonus. You should push for recogntion and/or reimbursement, especially if your hospital is interested in Magnet status. Certification is a big deal for that.

IV contrast can also give pts a metallic taste. Just one of the side effects.

That's great to know. I appreciate that very much. I will probably be in the audience along with some newbies when she comes to the midwest this fall. Thanks again!

RUE isn't the same as Excelsior, only a publishing company and study guide supplier. I do feel like they do a good job, though. I can't compare since I used RUE throughout, but I did very well with RUE's help.

I think LCRN covered it. I would say take the a-line if it has a good waveform and flushes well.

Has anyone been to the PICC seminars put on by Infusion Knowledge? They are out of Florida. We are wanting to get more people trained, and their training looks very comprehensive. Thanks

PICCs at bedside, using MST and US. 80 bed hospital. 3-7 PICCs/wk Indiana 3 PICC RNs who all work ICU

We are a general ICU, and we take kids if they're too sick to be on the peds floor but not sick enough to be shipped. Mostly if they probably took some pills and need to be monitored, or chronically ill trach-vent pts. Never non-ICU kids, though, we would only take our standard 1-3 pts depending on the acuity. I would definitely not be comfortable functioning as a regular peds nurse, especially the situation you described!

All of the state schools have distance rn-bsn. I am going through USI for my RN-MSN right now, will be done next May. I would just send off for all of the state schools' program info, evaluate which would be best for you, and go for it! I think all the state schools' tuition costs are pretty comparable.

Our team consists of an RN and an RT. IT may or not be the charge nurse, but just like codes, the person who can go, does. We have had great success in the past 6 mos since the RRT has been implemented. Codes are way down. OFten, but not always, the pt is transferred to the unit. This is greatly preferred to a code, both for us and the pt! :) Although it can be a burden for the nurse who has 1-2 critical patients of her own back in the unit, I think it has been excellent overall.

Hey Heather and LoriRNtobe! We are in the heart of the heartland, don't you agree!?! Good to see my neighbors on the board!

SO glad to add my opinion since I took (AND PASSED!!:) the CCRN yesterday for the first time. PASS CCRN is the best book, and the CD is great for practice. IT seemed like some of the questions were identical. Know your lab values forwards and backwards, so you can easily eliminate some of the answers. I'm still in shock that I actually passed after 6 mos of preparation!